Contemplating becoming a switch hitter, Euro to greenland paddle

if you do any one handed rolls {Angel roll} or one handed sculling, then your hand is in the center of the loom and the indexing is done with the loom. If you never do these maneuvers or never wish to , then the indexing is either done using the shoulder or the blade.

Having a round loom would limit the paddle’s use and rule out some maneuvers.or make them more difficult. {the maneuvers can still be done, but it adds a challenge that isn’t necessary.}

If a person ever does harpoon practice, the paddle is used as a balance and held in front by the center of the loom. Any capsize in this position is followed by an Angel roll. Also when doing a Balance Brace, and to be able to index and skull if necessary with one hand. When doing a bow rudder, dropping the non working blade into the armpit on the working blade side. It’s a nicety to also have a loom that allows indexing and control. I would never consider a Greenland paddle with a round loom for my use and would never recommend one for others either.

I also prefer a little more rectangular shape for the loom instead of oval because of the added control for maneuvers such as I stated. Especially since you only hold the loom for these more technical maneuvers

The shoulder is also a place I shape depending on the intended use for a particular paddle… For extreme technical use I like a diamond shape for the shoulder, but find that for distance the diamond shape can create hot spots, so on a distance paddle much prefer a more rounded shoulder where the palm of the hand rests with the last two fingers in contact with an edge for indexing. .{YMMV}

@roym
Good to know. You inspired me to go look closely at my GPs. One has a round loom and all the rest are more rectangular; indexed.

There are a lot of great reasons for using a GP. Fitting better as a spare on the deck is not one of them. I think you should explore the other benefits and you will find that having a two piece paddle is not a high priority. There is a learning curve with a GP, you will not be happy using one with your current stroke believe me. It could take a whole season to learn to effectively use a GP. One of the great advantages of a wood GP is that it is made to fit YOU and can be easily modified and it’s flex and buoyancy. You won’t get that same feel with a two piece GP. So if you just want a compact deck paddle the Greenland may not be for you.

Btw. The Greenland Paddle blade is usually shaped as a narrow flattened dihedron tapering to an oval wing at the tips. This shape has almost no aerodynamic drag and therefore we do not index the blades. Proper paddling technique with a GP is with a straight wrist which is another advantage reducing carpal tunnel injuries and wrist pain.

I have often noticed that many of the paddles I have looked at have replaceable tips. I have never seriously damaged a paddle on its tips. If I know I am going to be in a “high contact” area with rocks or WW I do not think I would be using a GP, and pull out one of my war paddles (Werner Tybee poly blades)
The tips on some of the GP paddles vary from oval to nearly squared off; does the shape of the tip make a huge difference in lift in rolling or a wide sweep? or is it a preference thing when handling the end of the paddle?

replaceable tips would allow you to change the color of the tip. I doubt that the tip will ever wear enough while the paddle is still serviceable otherwise , to ever need replacing. If you are depending on the tip shape for rolling, you need to practice more. The tip shape does make a difference in the catch and the way the paddle loads during the stroke.

when I refer to tip shape , I am talking , not about square or rounded. I am talking about the actual taper of the tip or the flare of the tip.

A flared tip will load at the entry and be better for sprinting. A tapered tip will catch smoother and the load will build farther back {after the big muscles have come to a better/less extended position} and be easier on the joints and impart less shock and be less fatiguing for distance paddling.

I should also qualify my statement about for rolling, if you are depending on paddle shapes, you need to practice more. Rolling is more about body mechanics than paddle shape {or should be} There are paddles that will enhance beginning rolling and so if you are going to own a paddle you need to chose some things over others depending on your focus. I have chosen {for my personal paddles} paddle shapes that enhance the forward stroke. And the efficiency of the forward stroke, but I realize some people focus and paddling venue is different. Many paddlers don’t have miles to go in the smaller lakes and thus might opt for a more rolling focus and a paddle shape that takes that into account.

@roym said:
A flared tip will load at the entry and be better for sprinting. A tapered tip will catch smoother and the load will build farther back {after the big muscles have come to a better/less extended position} and be easier on the joints and impart less shock and be less fatiguing for distance paddling.

I am struck by a language barrier here, I think. I have absolutely no idea what “flared” and “tapered” means in this context. Could you point to some images of typical flared and tapered tips.

I’ve seen photos of Inuit GPs with bone tips that are wider than the rest of the blade. This adds surface area and should increase the initial “bite” of the blade. I’m pretty sure that this is what Roy means.

this should be worth a thousand words. Bryan is correct
http://www.traditionalkayaks.com/Kayakreplicas/Paddles.html

@roym said:
this should be worth a thousand words. Bryan is correct
http://www.traditionalkayaks.com/Kayakreplicas/Paddles.html

Errh… I see a lot of paddles in these photos. But if I don’t know which ones you would call tapered, and which ones you would call flared, I am not really getting any wiser.

I could guess that no. 8 in the first photo is tapered, and no. 18 is flared. But none of these represent anything I see in typical, commercial paddle designs.

Here is a picture, You tell me. Does the paddle blade flare towards the end {get larger} or does the paddle blade taper towards the tip? {get smaller and thinner} {photo by Greg Stamer}

as a note. If you are talking Greenland Paddles or if you are talking commercial carbon offerings from the few companies producing carbon paddles. These two things are different. All of the commercial Carbon Greenland style paddles , to my knowledge, follow only one style or a variation of that one style. That style tends towards a sprinting style for a Greenland Paddle and not the quiet hunting style with a truly efficient long distance stroke as its prime function.

As the hunting style in Greenland changed, so did the paddle shape. The need to sneak up on a sleeping seal with a harpoon gave way to rifles and a need to get to a seal that had been shot from a distance and attach a float before it sank. As motor boats and rifles became more prevalent the need for close quarters stealth gave way. Today , in Greenland the focus has continued with the advent of the Greenland games where stealth is non existent and speed for racing } and rolling proficiency is what the paddle shapes are focused on. So that is what the Carbon Greenland Paddle producers have used as a guideline. It however doesn’t mean that there is only one style of shape that is called a Greenland Paddle. {the paddle pictured above is that of Maligiaq Padilla’s grandfather’s , a seal hunter} {photo by Greg Stamer}

I’m not sure if you can tell , but here is a picture of 3 different tips done in carbon.


{I made these to test shapes of different style Greenland paddles} The first has a taper from the shoulder of the paddle to the widest point right at the tip. The second has a taper to a point several inches from the tip and then continues at that width all the way to the tip. The third has a taper from the paddles shoulder to a spot several inches from the tip and then closer to the tip it becomes narrower {tapers} for a finer entry.

Is the white pole on the right of the photo for scale? It looks like it is about 3’ 6", I am looking at tapered designs for the “quiet” with tapered shoulders. I am going to try out some different length looms and profiles of the looms.
My quick purchase has made me realise, once again , how little I know, slowing down to make a little more informed decision.